Box or crate



July 25, 1933. A F M N 1,919,427

BOX OR CRATE y 1933. A. 1.. FOREMAN 1,919,427

BOX OR CRATE Original Filed July 6, 1931 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented July 25, 1933 nNiTEo STATES PATENT- OFFICE AMOS L. roanivramor DETROIT, MICHIGAN, Assmuon To FORWARD CRATE ooRT'oRA:

. TION, A coaronnrron or MICHIGAN BOX OR CRATE Application filed July 6,

to built, and considerably more durable than any other type of crate now on the market.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved corner construction for a box or crate.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved bottom construction for a box or crate.

A further object is to provide an improved separator for bottle crates having means for as maintaining the bottles in a vertical position and means for QlTQCtlVQlY conductmg the v water resulting from ice packed between the bottles against the exterior of the bottles.

A still further object is to provide an improved method of assembling crates. With the aboveand other objects in view, reference is bad to the following description and accompanyingdrawings, in which there is disclosed one embodiment of the in- 39 vention:

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a milk bottle crate embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the crate; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2; i

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 4& of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view to taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 1 Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 4';

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the metal corner angle; and,

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing in detail the lower corner construction.

The crate comprises an upper frame A, consisting of side walls 1 and end walls 2, and a lower frame B, consisting of side walls 3 and end walls 4. The ends of the-side Serial No. 549,023.

walls and end walls are bevelled at an angle of 45 from the outside edge, as shown at 4*,

and from the inside edge, as shown at 4', and

the ends squared off, as shown at 4, thereby providing an open corner, as shown in Figure 5. The side walls are joined to the end walls by means of metal corner strips 5, shown in section in Figure 5. i The corner strips each consist of an elongated metal angle piece having flanges 5 and 5", a central beaded portion 5 formed outwardly, as shown in Figure 5, and a central squared portion'5 formed inwardly be low the beaded portion, as shown'inFigure 7. The flanges 5' and 5 are corrugated, the corrugations being paralleland coextensive with the beaded portion 5. 7

The flanges of the corner strips are inserted in suitable kerfs 6 cut into the squared ends 4of the crate walls, the width of the kerfs being such that the corrugations of the metal corner pieces frictionally engage alternately the opposite walls of the kerf,-as shown in Figure 5. It will be evident from the foregoing description that by virtue of this construction an unobstructed passage is provided between the beaded portion 5 and the squared ends 4, and further unobstructed passages are provided between the corrugations of the corner pieces and the walls of the kerfs to allow free drainage of water and free circulation of air.

The inside of the upper frame A is provided at its top with stacking guides 7, each comprising a body portion 8 of angular:

cross section and an inwardly offset extended portion" 9 which projects above the crate walls 1 and 2. Rivets 10 extend through the walls 1 and 2, the corner strips 5 and the body portion 8 of the stacking guides 7, thereby securing the stacking guides and the corner strips to the upper frame A. By inserting the rivets from the outside, the extended end for riveting accomplishes the.

final riveting to be made onto the heavy iron of the stacking guides 7. When the stacking feature is undesired, the construction is the same except that the extended offset portion 9 is omitted.

. The frame B is provided atits bottom cor- 11ers with metal protecting andbinding plates 11. Each of these plates comprises external flanges which fit against the outside faces of walls 3 and i, and'bottom webs which extend in from the sides and fit under the edges of these walls and internal flanges which fit over the lower end of a corner piece 5, as shown in Figure 6. The outer surfaces of the corner plates '11 are made flush with the outer surfaces of the subjacent walls by count-ersinking the latter at the lower corners, as shown in Figure 8.

A horizontal division member or separator 12 has its edges between the two frames A and B, as clearly shown in Figure 3. For securely anchoring the separator 12 to the frames A and B.'a plurality of any suitable fasteners 13 may employed, those fasteners being collared at their center and pressed against the division member 12while assembling the crate holds the fasteners central and makes rigid anchorage of the plate and wall member. The separator 12 is formed of a single piece of sheet metal, preferably of rust resistingquality. and has a plurality of rircular bottle receiving openings 14 formed therein by blanking out portions of the metal. the blanked out portions being of such shape as to leave four triangular prongs 15, which are turned downwardly at approximately right angles with respect to the plane of the separator 12, thereby forming yieldable bearings for engaging loosely the body of the bottles, the prongs being of such length that the bottles are maintained in proper position, even though the entire crate of bottles be placed on its side or end. The portions of the separator between the openings ll are provided with cross-shaped raised portions 16 which deflect the ice water into the openings 14, thereby creating a thin film of coldwater on the bottles while descending. The bottom member 17 of'tho crate comprises a one-piece sheet metal plate formed to provide suitable open bottom grid to support the bottles and with downwardly bent flanges 18 to accomplish the desired height of. the floor line for the bottles, and having its edges 20 headed outwardly and upwardly to fit the inner beaded portion 21 of lower frame B. Rivets 19 securely anchor the bottom member 17 in place. A lditional rivets 22 extend through the corner plates 11, the walls of frame B. the corner angle pieces 5. and the flanges 18 of the bottom member 17. The openings 23 in the bottom member 17 permit ice, broken glass, bottle caps, and other foreign substances to fall or be shaken out.

For supporting the interior construction. a plurality of V -sha1 )ed'braces 24 are employed to attach division member 12 to bottom member 17, thereby bringing the two members together for added strength. The braces are suitably riveted to the separator 12 by rivets 25 and to the bottom member 17 by rivets 26.

The method of assembling the crate is as follows:

The metal corner strips 5 are pressed into he kerfs of the side walls 1 and rivets 10 are inserted from the outside into the holes provided therefor. The stacking guides 7 are then placed over the extended end of the rivets and the riveting operation performed.

The end walls 2 are then placed in position, further rivets 10 inserted, and a further riveting operation performed. This completes the top frame sub-assembly. The top frame is then placed, inverted. in a special assembling jig frame (not shown) with the metal corner strips 5proiecting upwardly. The metal separator 12, having holes'for the fasners therein, is then placed in position, the tenors having been previously anchored into the inner edge of the lower frame B. The lower frame B is then placed over the extending corner strips 5, these strips being received by the kerfs provided therefor. The bottom member 17 withthe V-shaped braces 24: riveted thereto is then placed in position. The jig frame securely binding against the horizontal spreading by suitable closing toggle type lever clamps built in the channel ban d allowing vertical movement of the lower portions of the crate when the jig frame fixture has been slid into position under the ram of a suitably constructed powerpress, which press in its stroke compresses the entire crate assembly together to apredetermined point according to the adjustment of the press. The fixture and entire assembly are then withdrawn from the'press. The bottom corner protecting plates 11 are then placed and rivets inserted therein. The toggle arrangement is then released and the assembled crate is removed for the corner plate riveting operation. The remaining lower row" of rivets 19 for securing the bottom member 17 to'the frame B are then inserted and riveted. The rivets for securing the V-shaped braces 24. to the operator 12 are then inserted and riveted.

In use, when bottles are in the crate, the prongs 15 prevent displacement of the bottles when the crate is til-ted or set on end. If

ice is packed aroundthe bottles; the drippings cants copending and divisional application,

Serial No. 621,103, filed July 6,1932.

From the foregoing description, taken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings,

it will be seen that an extremely simple and inexpensive construction has been provided for carrying out the objects of the invention.

Inasmuch as many changes can be made in the above construction, without departing from the scope of my invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

hat is claimed is:

1. A box or crate, comprising walls joined by metal corner pieces, said corner pieces being angular in cross section and having the edges thereof extending into kerfs in the ends of said walls, said edges being provided with longitudinal corrugations.

2. A box or crate, comprising walls and a sheet metal bottom member secured thereto, said bottom member having side walls, the edges of which are beaded, said beaded edges engaging in grooves in the lower edges of the crate walls.

3. A corner piece for boxes or crates, com prising an elongated metal angle bar having flanges and a central beaded portion formed outwardly with respect to said flanges.

l. A corner piece for boxes or crates, com prising an elongated metal angle bar having flanges, a central beaded portion formed outwardly with respect to said flanges, and a central squared portion formed inwardly below said beaded portion.

5. A corner piece for boxes or crates, comprising an elongated metal angle bar having flanges, said flanges being provided with longitudinal corrugations.

6 A corner piece for boxes or crates, com prising an elongated metal angle bar having flanges, a central beaded portion formed outwardly with respect to said flanges, and a squared portion formed inwardly below said beaded portion, said flanges being provided with longitudinal corrugations.

7. In combination with meeting to form the corner of a receptacle, said walls having the ends thereof bevelled at an angle of 45 from the outside edge and from the inside edge and the ends squared ofi, a metal corner piece having the edges wooden walls thereof extending into kerfs formed in the squared off ends of said walls, and having a central. beadedv portion forming a passage between said corner piece and the ends of said walls.

8. In combination with wooden Walls meeting toform the corner of a receptacle, said walls having the ends thereof bevelled at an angle of 45 from the outside edge and from the inside edge and the ends squared off, a metal corner piece having the edges thereof extending into kerfs formed in the squared off ends of said walls, and having acentral beaded portion forming a passage between said corner piece and the ends of said Walls, the edges of said corner pieces having longitudinal corrugations, whereby additional passages are formed in said kerfs.

: 9. A box or crate, comprising walls joined by metal corner pieces, said corner pieces being angular in cross section and having the edges thereof extending into kerfs in the ends of said walls, said edges being provided with longitudinal corrugations, and said kerfs being of greater width that the width of said edges and having their walls engaged alter-' '11. A box or crate, comprising walls joined by longitudinally corrugated metal corner pieces, said corner pieces having the edges thereof extending into kerfs in the ends of said walls and extending along the entire depth-of said walls, and corner plates secured to said walls at the bottom thereof, sa1d corner plates having spaced side wings disposed at right angles to'one another, and having a central web uniting sald side Wings and disposed at an angle to each of them.

AMOS L. FOR-EMAN. 

